Matt Harvey filthy good in Mets spring debut and Tommy John return
Struck out three over two perfect innings in first competitive outing since August 2013 and recovery from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery.
By
Dave Brown
•
1 min read
His fastball touched 99 mph, and he dropped in a cruel 84 mph curve that buckled a batter's knees. He went two perfect innings, throwing 25 pitches total, and joked with his manager that he was good for at least a couple more. In his first action in 18 months, and since undergoing Tommy John surgery, New York Mets right-hander Matt Harvey looked every bit as dominant as he did before he blew out his elbow. Maybe better.
Harvey's performance was great news for all concerned Friday in Grapefruit League play, his first outing since Aug. 24, 2013. It's true that the Tigers did not use their best hitters — Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Yoenis Cespedes, J.D. Martinez or Ian Kinsler stayed back in Lakeland, Fla. — but Harvey would have been formidable, it appeared, against any major league lineup.
With 98 mph heat, he struck out the first batter he faced, Anthony Gose, and with a filthy looking curveball, he caught Bryan Holoday looking to end the second inning. Harvey hasn't thrown the curve much in the majors, but he's also said he's working on making it a better pitch. What do you think?
Harvey told reporters at Legends Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla:
"I wasn't really expecting to have a curveball like that. ... I was feeling it, so I had to drop it in."
His comment is almost as filthy as the stuff it describes. Here's a video rundown of Harvey's afternoon:
Overall, the results made Harvey happy. Via Metsblog:
“Things felt good, so the fact that I had surgery is out of my mind,” he told reporters after leaving the game. “I’m excited. I’m not going to deny that I’m excited about being back.”
Great news for the Mets, for Harvey and for baseball (except when your team plays against them).
